This invention relates to Intelligent Network Telecommunications and particularly to calling card services via such a network.
Calling card services are used in telecommunication systems primarily as a means to affect the billing for services. For example, a standard calling card may be used to change the party or account charged for the cost of a telephone call. Usually the change involves actually charging and billing an account represented by the calling card rather than an account represented by the calling telephone. Debit or prepaid calling cards may also be used to pay for telecommunication services. With a prepaid calling card the user prepays an amount of money to establish a card balance and as services are used the balance is decreased. When the balance becomes zero or less than the cost of a requested service the service is not provided or, if ongoing, it is terminated. When the service being provided is a telephone connection between parties the expiration of the prepaid calling card balance results in the termination of the connection. A need exists in the art for an improved manner of providing services from a prepaid calling card and particularly in the manner of terminating prepaid calling card services.
A system and method in accordance with the present invention announces the expected termination of a prepaid calling card before call termination. As such, the call originator and call terminator have the opportunity to close a conversation before the call connection is dropped. Additionally, and advantageously, the call originator may be given the opportunity to change the billing account for the call so that the conversation can continue based on a new prepaid amount. In accordance with the embodiments, the change of billing may result in changing billing from one prepaid calling card account to another or it may result in adding value to an existing prepaid account by means such as a credit card.
As described herein the parties to a prepaid calling card account are not just cut off when the prepaid amount is used up but the connection between the parties is split and a call originator is given the opportunity to change the prepaid amount available to continue the connection.
A method as described later herein comprises establishing in an Intelligent Telecommunication Network, a value identifying a prepaid amount for telephone services, establishing a connection between a call originator and a call terminator and timing a connection established. When the timing represents that the value has, or nearly has, been used up to pay for the connection, the connection is split and a warning tone or announcement is delivered to the call originator. Such a warning tone or announcement may also be delivered to the call terminator. Advantageously, the call originator may be given the opportunity to add value to the prepaid account by means of a credit card or by changing the billing account to another prepaid calling card.
Such conveniences are provided in a system comprising a service switching point of the call originator and a service control point of the telecommunication Intelligent Network. The service switching point collects digits necessary to identify the call terminator and to associate the call with a prepaid account against which the call is to be charged. The service control point receives the digits from the service switching point, associates the proper account with the requested connection and begins to time the connection against the associated prepaid account. When the account is used up (its value becomes 0) or nearly so, the service control point directs the service switching point to split the existing connection, connect a digit receiver and play an announcement to the call originator. The call originator may then dial digits defining another prepaid account against which to charge the existing connection. The service switching point then receives the digits and forwards them to the service control point which, in response thereto, associates the another prepaid account with the connection and reestablishes the connection between call originator and call terminator. Alternatively, the call originator, upon receiving the announcement of expiring prepaid calling card may dial digits defining a credit card which should be charged to provide additional value to the existing prepaid calling card account. After adding value, the service control point directs the service switching point to reconnect the call originator and call terminator and times the connection against the augmented value of the prepaid card account.
When operating as herein described, call originators can avoid being abruptly cut off from ongoing communications and are given opportunities to extend the communication by providing an account of additional value against which the communication can be charged.